Apprehensive Fiance

We are trying to plan our honeymoon for next summer. My Fiance is not fully on board for the Couples resorts. We have narrowed it down to Negril or Swept Away if she agrees to a Couples resort; however, she is not sure about the rooms...they do not seem as nice as she is wanting for our honeymoon. Does anyone have pictures of the ocean-front suites at either resort? Thanks!

Couples is the perfect place for a honeymoon, but if it's not what your fiancee is looking for, then don't go there. The last thing you want is her to be disappointed. You need to find out exactly what she's looking for. The rooms at Couples Resorts are intentionally rustic. They are not luxury accommodations. If that's what your fiancee wants for her honeymoon, then she will be disappointed.

If you want to convince her that Couples would be a good fit, then you have to sell it to her by focusing on amenities other than the room. For example, ask her what her perfect honeymoon scenario would be. Tell her that yours involves sitting on the beach sipping champagne and watching a beautiful sunset. Tell her it involves a beautiful beach where you can stroll hand-in-hand, play in the surf, and float on the water. Tell her that you want a resort that offers good food and that enables you to eat and drink what you want--whenever you want--without having to worry about money. Tell her that you want a facility where you can lie side-by-side and receive a couples massage on the beach.

Again, the accommodations are not luxurious. We stayed at the Peninsula, a luxury hotel in NYC, for our 23rd anniversary this summer. Sure, we had a luxurious room and were within walking distance of Broadway and some of the best restaurants in the world, but we both would rather have been at Couples (and we leave for our 18th trip to Couples and 14th trip to CN next Friday!).

The photo tours for each resort and the 360-degree views on the panoramic maps for each resort have pictures that accurately depict the rooms. If you manage her expectations about the rooms and if she resolves that they're okay, you will have a wonderful honeymoon at whichever Couples Resort you choose.

Pamela, your post usually has a comment at the bottom,"I'm always right, just ask my husband" You are SO right this time. I read before hand about the rooms both on here and TA, and went in with what I thought were reasonable expectations. I had looked at all the pictures on here prior to going but I know pictures can be deceiving. When we got to CN and opened the door.....well, that room looks EXACTLY like the pictures and was probably one of the nicest rooms I've ever stayed in. I probably have not been to a "luxury" resort so my comparison may be different but I think the rooms are great, spacious, beautiful views. I didn't find anything wrong. But your advice here is also spot on. Don't want to have a honeymoon that is disappointing. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed here, but if she has reservations about going....really have to weigh that with what she wants.

My wife and I would gladly take less luxury in a room ,in order to have a world class beach within a minutes walk or just steps from our door, along with all the other amenities of a Couples resort. We stayed in an Atrium suite at CSA and loved it, the food was outstanding,the ocean amazing as you did not get beat to death by the surf. The sunsets at Swept Away are beautiful and just walking the grounds hand in hand in the evening,listening to the tree frogs is much more romantic than a gold sink with matching faucets..

We are booked for trip #4 to Swept Away and we were married there in 04.Check out the links to YouTube and you will see how nice CSA is.Maybe it's just me but I think all the suites are great at csa but you should splurge for your honeymoon and get a bfs. You won't regret it! It's not granite and marble but it's very nice!

Check the links to those youtube videos of both the CSA rooms and the Negril rooms and have her see if she likes any of them. I think she would like the Great House Verandah Suite at CSA. Good luck deciding, but those videos someone posted showed the whole resort and all the room choices. Show her and see what she thinks.

I just want to add, that the reality is you just don't spend that much time in your room, you go there to shower, sleep, and all the things you are suppose to do on your honeymoon. But that is all. And the rooms, for me, just fit the whole vibe of the resorts. Laid back, quiet, relaxed.

JB,
Couples is awesome for a honeymoon, we were there for ours and is exceeded ALL expectations...couples swept away that is. No the rooms are not grandious and marble laden and that is fine with me....I can get that here in the US. Besides how much are you in your room anyways?? not much.

We were an CN for our honeymoon in 2007.......Was fantastic....from the Uk....the service you get down in the Caribbean is far superior to what you get in all inclusive resorts in Europe....We decided to try Mexico for our next vacation.... We got a free upgraded to the top suites and after our initial WOW....we were disappointed...Yes the room was out of this world.....But it was plastic...the resort was plastic...and the staff were rude and plastic......Heading for couples CTI in 26 sleep cant wait.....You wont go far wrong booking couples..It feels like home...

This is going to be hard for her to accept, but tell her not to worry about it! My wife is a neat/clean freak. We generally travel with a bottle of bleach and cleaning gloves when we're on vacation! Thanks to the latest bed-bug scare, she now tears the beds down to the mattress to inspect everything. We just stayed in Kalamazoo for my nephews wedding, after inspecting 3 rooms, we were finally moved to the conceirge level because of what she found on her inspections. It may not be the Ritz, but when at Couples you are in paradise. The rooms look exactly like the photos on the Couples website. We have traveled to a lot of places and hands down, our trip to CSA was the best time we have ever spent together. We didn't enjoy CSS as much because we discovered that we are beach people. We are looking forward to our first trip to CN - only 40more days!! I know it is hard to believe, but you can't go wrong with CSA and in a few weeks I'll let you know about CN!

I know you will be on your honeymoon, but honestly how much time do you expect to spend in your room while on vacation? We honeymooned at CTI for 5 nights and got the cheapest possible room, and still had an amazing time. I guess for me, the food and service and general vibe of a resort has more of an impact on my vacation than what the bathroom looks like during the 10 minutes a day I spend in there showering.

With that being said, you are on a Couples message board so obviously we are all fans. Read the reviews on TripAdvisor. Try to find out what your priorities are and go from there. I agree that you don't want your fiancee disappointed if the rooms are a big factor for her, but like I said, I did not have any issues with the rooms.

I agree with everyone else. My husband & I went to an AI in Cozumel, Mexico ("P" resorts) and yes the resort was beautiful with marble laden bathrooms and georgeous marble floors through out the resort with lush tropical greenery everywhere, but that's where it ended. The food was horrible, the bed was rock hard, the alcohol was watered down, no excursions were included, the beach was tiny, the ocean near the beach was full of rock and sea weed, and even though the service was horrible there always seemed to be a hand out waiting for a tip.

I too was a little apprehensive about the lack of upscale surface luxury in the rooms at CSA, but after a few hours I completetly forgot about it and absolutly feel in love with CSA. The rooms are clean and always have fresh linens on the amazingly comfortable beds. The service is first rate even when no tipping allowed. There is such a variety of foods that you will surely find more than a few items you like. There are so many activities included that going off the property isn't necessary unless you want to take advantage of the golf or excursions that are also part of the AI price. The beach & ocean are beautiful and the evening entertainment was fun! In the evening the romance is heated up with amazing sunsets, gently lighted paths through out the tropical resort and you'll hear music in the distance that is magical. Snuggle in a hammock, dance after dinner, take a stroll on the beach, kiss under the clear carribean night sky, relax on your private patio, take a late night dip in the hot tub, it's a great honeymoon resort.
Show your Fiance these reviews and maybe we will convince her you can't go wrong with CSA or any of the other Couples resorts.

I love what everyone has said in response to the fiancee. If I were a nervous bride, I can honestly say that after reading what everyone had to say I wouldn't mind going. I was a skeptic at the beginning back in April, right after we booked. We r staying @ CTI but, they were appearing to get a bad rep on the MB. My co-worker and loved it. I also read some wonderful & awesome reviews so, I decided not to second guess myself. To go with what attracted me to Couples in the first place. I say do whatever u have to convince it's the place for u both. Whose to say that she will enjoy the luxury location? Something can go wrong wherever u stay. Vacation is what u make of it so, get her to come to Couples, have a great time and I look forward to reading her wonderful review!!!

We are trying to plan our honeymoon for next summer. My Fiance is not fully on board for the Couples resorts. We have narrowed it down to Negril or Swept Away if she agrees to a Couples resort; however, she is not sure about the rooms...they do not seem as nice as she is wanting for our honeymoon. Does anyone have pictures of the ocean-front suites at either resort? Thanks!

....This is the place for the perfect Honeymoon. It's hard to get much more romantic than a tropical resort for Couples only. Each room has it's own private balcony or terrace. Own bar, large comfortable beds, and great romantic restaurants. We went to CN last November, and going to CSS next month. Our goal now is to visit each. Note that the success of a resort stay is directly proportionate to how little time is spent in the room. One can sit in a room at home!!

My most recent AI trip was to a Butler suite at Sandals (why do people not name resorts??) in Montego Bay. The room was out of this world but do you know what...I spent very little time in it and didn't really utilise the services of the Butler. I came away from the holiday having had a great time but I would have been quite happy with a standard room which is similar in standard to the couples rooms.

I should say I have also done AIs in St Lucia, Antigua and Mexico. I am going to CN for the first time in November. I KNOW I have made the right decision already - I have a really good feeling about Couples.

Having said all that, your fiance needs to be comfortable with the choice so give her all the information and get her to do her own research outside this message board as well. Good luck!